About Team Poker Lab

After years of playing poker and reading every book he could get his hands on, Derrick realized that poker was going to be more than just a hobby. After becoming friends with Ken Webster, Jr. (aka. Producer Kenny) and working on various other projects together, Kenny brought Derrick's brainchild, Poker Lab Radio, to life on April 7, 2018.

In 2015, Derrick joined Ken to roll out a fundraising initiative called Operation Comedy Therapy. Ken wanted to put together a series of live comedy shows that aimed to bring laughter and support to our veterans that sacrificed so much for us. All proceeds from the events were donated to Houston-based Camp Hope, who provides interim housing & therapy to soldiers fighting PTSD and their families.

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In addition to informing and entertaining their audience, Derrick and Kenny wanted to promote a positive image of the poker community. Poker players are often assumed to be degenerate gamblers and although this is true for some, most poker players are just normal people with families and day jobs. Derrick and Ken began to see the potential for poker players to influence great change in their communities. When the cards fall in your favor, one $10 buy-in to a tournament can result in thousands of dollars in the span of a few hours.

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Derrick wanted to build a crew of philanthropic poker players who he wanted to call "Team Poker Lab". He was on the lookout to find the perfect people to join his team. Mattress Mac, owner of Gallery Furniture, sent Derrick to the 2018 World Series of Poker with the mission to raise money for Camp Hope and awareness about PTSD. While he was there, he met Ray Henson, a well-liked professional poker player that lives in Houston. Ray has made a name for himself in the poker world as he's cashed in 70 WSOP events. In 2015, he earned a gold ring at a WSOP Circuit Event at the Choctaw Casino in Oklahoma, defeating the 6 time bracelet winner, TJ Cloutier. In addition to being a great poker player, he is an even better guy. He was definitely someone Derrick wanted to join the team.

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Back in Houston, Ray arranged for his friend Kris Burchfield, a poker dealer and sports enthusiast, to meet with Derrick to discuss the ideas he had moving forward. Kris eagerly offered to help. He is well known for hosting poker events to raise money for various charities. In 2017 he started the “Kris’s Birthday Bar Olympics” where all proceeds (over $10,000) went to the Lone Survivor Foundation. Yet another great guy who would be perfect to join the team.

Beginning on October 6, Ray Henson and Kris Burchfield officially joined Ken Webster Jr. and Derrick Cavaco to be co-hosts on Poker Lab Radio. Listen to the show Saturdays at 10:00 PM on Sports Talk 790 or find us on Facebook and Twitterto continue the story.

Gallery Furniture is Sending Derrick to the WSOP!

Updated: Jul 3, 2018

Jim McIngvale and Gallery Furniture are sponsoring Derrick into the big game of the World Series of Poker to raise money and awareness about Camp Hope and PTSD! Follow Derrick's journey with #Grinding4Hope